Riding School  Emma
by Paramyday
Summary: When she thought the week was going to go fine she was wrong by a mile ...


"I heard him on the phone" insisted Steph , wringing her hands in despair. " He was telling his mother that she was the most fantastic girl he'd ever clapped eyes on , with a brilliant personality and just what he had been looking for his whole life."

"Are you sure he was talking about a woman?" said Kate .

"Well who do you think he was talking about , the prime minister?" Steph paced up and down , getting more and more irate. "Anyway , he's been wearing new aftershave lately, that says it all."

"Oh big deal." Kate folded her arms. "Good detective work , Sherlock."

"Just because he is our riding instructor , Doesn't mean he has to be a monk," Rachel pointed out.

I was sitting at the table writing out pony care fact sheets in an effort to swat up for the riding school stable management certificate .

We'd officially formed what we called the "Six Pack" at the start of the summer holidays. Six horse-mad girls all dedicated to Brook House Riding School which had very nearly closed down. Sophie's dad had stepped in at the last moment as a silent partner and saved the school and the horses. Since then Brook House had gone from strength to strength and we all dedicated our weekends and every spare moment to helping out with the ponies and improving out riding. Sophie was really nice , Jodie quite serious , Rachel shy , Kate bossy and Steph moody , but we all had one thing in common – Horses!

"You get it , do you?" Steph raised her arms in alarm. "If guy falls in love there will be no special evening lessons or picnics or quizzes or pony weeks. He'll be to busy going out on dates – There will be no time for us!"

Real concern flickered over everyone;s faces. All the Six Pack helped out at the weekends and holiday's and in return , were often given a free lesson from Guy. We'd all got used to hogging his time; we'd had him to ourselves for 5 weeks and our riding's come on in leaps and bounds. Without Guy's energy and enthusiasm , Brook House would revert to being just an ordinary riding school instead of something dynamic and special.

"We've got to do something," Sophie muttered.

"It's for his own good," nodded Kate.

"And for Brook House , and for his show jumping career," said Rachel .

"And for the horses" I added , thinking as always for our 4 legged friends.

"We don't have a choice." Sophie chased away any doubts .We all nodded.

"Only Nineteen hours to go!" Rachel burst into the horsy saloon where we hung out between lessons and chores , looking as if she was going to explode with excitement .

Own a pony week had been Guy's idea and had proved to be a sell out success. Basically , each person had a pony to look after for a whole week , which included grooming, feeding, mucking out, and riding. There were loads of activities planned such as group lessons, hacks, a treasure hunt, cross country, polo and even Ice skating one evening. It was just the most happening event ever. I had put my name down first and booked Buzby, my favourite riding school pony. Owning him for a week was going to be incredible. And it all started at nine tomorrow morning.

I slipped into Buzby's stable where he was tacked up waiting for his next was a gorgeous dapple grey. He was cheeky and mischievous but I loved him to bits and spent all my spare time looking after him and pretending he was mine. Now it was really going to happen , at least for one week.

I rummaged through my new grooming box which had taken me ages to save up for and pulled out the "Cactus Clock" which was supposed to miraculously remove stable stains. Buzby scowled, knotting his woolly brows together in disapproval.

Guy wasn't just an ordinary riding instructor. He was a show jumper with two Dutch warm blood horses and his ambition was to ride for England one day. Even Kate , who was scared of jumping , had improved beyond all recognition.

It was our ambision for Brook House to be voted Riding School Of The Year but we knew we had heaps of improving to do before then. I bent down and brushed out buzby's fetlocks which seemed to acts as magnits for bits of dry mud.

"Where's Steph?" Sophie popped her head over the door ,looking harresed. "She's wanted pronto in the areana."

I shrugged. Steph was really good at dissapearing when there was work to be done.

"Ok," I groaned, "I'll try and find her." There was no way i was going to do Steph's chores for her, especally in the lead rain class. I cheaked the saloon and then went to see ifshe was with her grey pony , Monty.

I eventually tracked her down at the office when she bent over the desk.

"You creep," I howled, after peering over her right shoulder.

"Get lost, Emma." She spun round, eye's blazing, and stuffed the half wrapped present inside her jacket pocket. "It's nothing to do with you."

It was guy's birthday today and I'd bought him a pencil with a horsy rubber and made a mint and carrot cake for his horses, Although buzby had already devoured half of it. We all knew Steph had a crush on Guy but now it stood out a mile- She'd bought him a pair of leather riding gloves which must have cost a bomb.

I danced around the office, tormenting her untill she turned bright red.

"Ouch." She came up behind me and yanked my hair.

"that'll teach you to grow up." She could be so spiteful. "You can be such a baby Emma. At least I dont play with model horses or pretend to ride broomsticks. At least boy's like me. You'll never get a boyfriend the way you behave."

"You snake!" I squeked, really stung. I reeled back and desperitally tried to think of something to say. I'd knew I would regret it as soon as the words tumbled out.

"Well thats where you are wrong," I croaked , "Becasue boy's do like me, As a matter of fact . . ." I floundered but couldnt stop myself. " . . . I've got a boyfriend."

Steph gaped and then opened and shut her mouth in shock. A wave of triumph swept over me when I saw her lost for words.

"You're kidding."

"I am not! His names Craig and He's horse-mad and he thinks buzby's the best pony in the world."

"Well then he must be a fool." Steph raised an eyebrow , unsure of what to think.

I really did have a pen pal called craig who was coming to brook house for Own A Pony Week but I'd never met him face to face before.

"Well you'll be able to judge him for yourself," I snapped back , digging into a 10 foot deep hole. "Because he is coming to the Own A Pony Week."


End file.
